caa a22 4500 605526281 CHVBK 20210128100802.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150101xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s10531-014-0770-y doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s10531-014-0770-y Artificial watering points are focal points for activity by an invasive herbivore but not native herbivores in conservation reserves in arid Australia [Elektronische Daten] [Mike Letnic, Shawn Laffan, Aaron Greenville, Benjamin Russell, Bruce Mitchell, Peter Fleming] The spatial configuration of landscapes can be an important factor influencing the dispersal, distribution and abundance of invasive animals and consequently their impacts. In arid landscapes worldwide, humans have increased the availability of surface water by creating artificial water points (AWP) for livestock and wildlife viewing. The resource subsidy provided by AWP can influence the functioning of arid ecosystems by affecting the density, distribution and activity of water-dependent native and invasive animals and thus facilitate their trophic and competitive interactions. In this study, we used dung count indices to investigate the activity of an invasive herbivore, feral goats (Capra hircus), and native herbivores (kangaroos, Macropus spp.) in relation to surface water and habitat type in three conservation reserves located in arid Australia. Activity of feral goats showed a strong preference for rocky ranges habitat and decreased with distance from water. Kangaroo activity showed a strong preference for mulga woodlands, but was independent of distance from water. Our results suggest that artificial water points may exacerbate the impacts of feral goats by functioning as focal points for their activity. Restricting goats' access to water by closure of water points or strategic fencing, such that the mean distance to water across the landscape is increased, may be an effective strategy to reduce goat grazing impacts in conservation reserves where natural sources of water are scarce but is unlikely to affect the grazing patterns of kangaroos. Our study suggests that there is scope to control populations of water-dependent invasive vertebrates in arid regions by restricting their access to artificial water points. Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht, 2014 AWP nationallicence Grazing nationallicence Kangaroo nationallicence Invasive species nationallicence Pest animal management nationallicence Resource subsidy nationallicence Dung count nationallicence Letnic Mike Centre for Ecosystem Science and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut Laffan Shawn Centre for Ecosystem Science and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut Greenville Aaron Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, 2006, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut Russell Benjamin Pest and Ecological Management Unit, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 1967, 2220, Hurstville, NSW, Australia aut Mitchell Bruce Pest and Ecological Management Unit, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 1967, 2220, Hurstville, NSW, Australia aut Fleming Peter Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Biosecurity New South Wales, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, 1447 Forest Road, 2800, Orange, NSW, Australia aut Biodiversity and Conservation Springer Netherlands 24/1(2015-01-01), 1-16 0960-3115 24:1<1 2015 24 10531 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0770-y text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-014-0770-y text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Letnic Mike Centre for Ecosystem Science and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Laffan Shawn Centre for Ecosystem Science and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Greenville Aaron Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, 2006, Sydney, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Russell Benjamin Pest and Ecological Management Unit, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 1967, 2220, Hurstville, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Mitchell Bruce Pest and Ecological Management Unit, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, PO Box 1967, 2220, Hurstville, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Fleming Peter Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Biosecurity New South Wales, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, 1447 Forest Road, 2800, Orange, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Biodiversity and Conservation Springer Netherlands 24/1(2015-01-01), 1-16 0960-3115 24:1<1 2015 24 10531